Adapter in combination with a receptacle



g- 5, 1969 v J. v. SALAMOVNE 3,459,372

ADAPTER IN COMBINATION WITH A RECEPTACLE Filed April 21, 1967 E'Zg.'1-

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United States Patent 3,459,372 ADAPTER IN COMBINATION WITH A RECEPTACLE James V. Salamone, Newton, Mass. (62 Falmouth Road, West Newton, Mass. 02165) Filed Apr. 21, 1967, Ser. No. 632,708

Int. Cl. G05d 23/00; F16] 55/24; F22b 5/00 U.S. Cl. 236-93 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An adapter of non-ferrous metal in combination with a receptacle of ferrous metal having a hollow boss, the adapter screw-threadedly connecting with said boss and having an extension that passes through said boss and extends into the interior of the receptacle.

One object of my invention is to overcome the building up of rust at the outlet of an iron hot water tank or other receptacle where the usual nipple connects with a boss integral with the tank. Since the outlet of the boss is often partly closed or almost wholly closed by rust, it interferes with the operation of a safety valve with which the tank is equipped. Since such tanks are commonly made of ferrous metal and already installed, they present a problem to a safety engineer or inspector. To accomplish this object I provide an adapter that can be passed through said boss and extend into the interior of the tank and which is formed of corrosion-resistant properties such as copper, thus spacing the outlet of the tank from the iron boss and keeping flowing water away from the latter.

Another object is to so construct the adapter that it can be connected directly to a safety valve or other element when that is desirable.

The foregoing and other objects which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction, combination and arrangement of parts such as is disclosed by the drawing. The nature of the invention is such as to render it susceptible to various changes and modifications, and, therefore, I am not to be limited to the construction disclosed by the drawing, nor to the particular parts described in the specification; but am entitled to all such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of my adapter in combination with a receptacle, the latter being shown in section and broken away, a portion of the adapter being shown in section.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view similar to FIG. 1; but showing a modified form of adapter directly connected to a safety valve.

As illustrated, a storage receptacle 10, which is usually used as a hot water tank, is made of ferrous metal, such as cast iron, and often having a glass lining 11. It has a hollow boss 12 of said ferrous metal integrally united to said receptacle as by welding, and which is interiorly threaded. Said tank with the boss is commonly installed in homes and other buildings to provide hot water and because it is made of iron which is or becomes exposed at said boss it becomes a problem, especially as connection to a safety valve 26', later referred to, is required.

A hollow adapter 14, shown in the form of a connect- 3,459,372 Patented Aug. 5, 1969 ice ing conduit, has a main body 16 having an exterior screw-threaded portion 18 and an extension portion 20 at its inner end extremity that preferably has a smooth exterior and is of lesser exterior diameter than the adjoining screw-threaded portion 18. The outer end portion 22 is also exteriorly screw-threaded. Said adapter is made of non-ferrous material such as copper having substantial corrosion-resistant properties.

Said adapter 14, as shown in said FIG. 1, is screwthreadedly connected to a well-known T 24 provided for making connection to an outside source. A wellknown safety valve 26 also screw-threadedly connects with said T 24 in the usual Way.

A thermostatic element 28 shown as a long rod forms part of said safety valve 26, being the well-known actuator therefor when predetermined temperatures of liquid in said receptacle 10 are reached.

Said receptacle 10 ordinarily contains hot Water and said adapter extension 20 extends beyond said boss 12 into said receptacle so there is no possibility of rust build ing up at the end opening of said non-ferrous extension 20. Heretofore an ordinary copper or brass nipple was connected to said boss 12 and terminated at the open end of the latter or at a slight distance from said open end. The result was that ferrous metal such as iron or steel was exposed and galvanic erosion occurred at the mouth of said boss and at the open end of the connecting conduit. This caused a deposition of iron and iron oxides in the nipple thereby causing rust to accumulate and partly filling said mouth. The consequence thereof is that while said thermostatic element, will or may respond to changes in temperature of the liquid in said receptacle 10, the partly restricted outlet passage will not permit sufficient hot water to pass out through the safety valve to thereby relieve excess pressure built up in the receptacle by flow of cold water into the latter.

In said FIG. 2 a modified form of my invention is shown in that an adapter 30 has an exterior screw-threaded portion 34 that connects with said boss 12, and also an extension portion 36 similar to portion 20. Said adapter 30 has an enlarged body portion 38 which is interiorly screw-threaded as at 39 to receive and connect with a safety valve 40 that has a thermostatic element 42 similar to element 28. In this construction said T 24 is omtited which is desirable in some installations.

What I claim is:

1. An adapter in combination with a hot water heater having a hollow boss, said heater and boss being formed of ferrous metal, said adapter being hollow and formed of non-ferrous metal having substantial corrosion resisting properties when in water, said adapter having a portion in connection with said boss and an extension substantially beyond said latter portion and said boss and extending into said heater, said adapter having an exterior connecting means outside of said heater and boss, and a safety valve connected to the exterior means, said valve having an element responsive to predetermined changes in temperature of water and extending through the exterior means and said adapter into said heater.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the exterior connecting means is a T connected to the safety valve.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the exterior connecting means is an interiorly threaded portion of the adaptor which threadably connects to the safety valve.

(References on following page) 3 4 References Cited 3,154,248 10/ 1964 Fulton et a1. 236---92 UNITED STATES P S 3,235,179 2/ 1966 Caparone et a1. 236-33 12/1932 Siltz 3,348,528 10/1967 Wh1te 165-178 X 2/1936 Clifford 236-93 X 2/1938 Lovekin 5 WILLIAM E. WAYNER, Prlmary Examlner 9/1956 Andrus 12213 X 7/ 1936 Work. 1/1945 Young 165-134 X 12213; 165--134; 285-173 6/1957 Purkhiser 285-473 X 

